Contents

Personal Life

Riley was born to Elwin Riley and Tiny Hightower[2] in Los Angeles, California.[1] She grew up in La Mirada, California and has two older sisters, Toyia and Ashley.[2] She attended La Mirada High School.

Career

Riley auditioned for American Idol at age seventeen but didn't make it past producers.[3]

She auditioned for the role as Effie White in the 2006 movie musical Dreamgirls however Jennifer Hudson was chosen instead.
Riley was casted as Mercedes Jones in 2008 and has had a main role on Glee from 2009 - 2012. Her role from then on was reduced to a guest role.

Riley and Dancing with the Stars partner, Derek Hough, won the seventeenth season.[3]

Fashion

Riley, along with Ashley, launched a plus-sized online clothing boutique, "Rileyland Fashions," in January 2014.[4]

Riley will appear in UP's television movie musical My One Christmas Wish as Jackie Turner, which is based off a true story of Turner.[5]

McRiley

She and Kevin announced that they will co-host a radio show every Friday. It airs on Dash Radio and is titled "McRiley", their ship/mashed together name; it began on September 26, 2014 - the same day it was announced.[6][7]

Before the panel presentation on Tuesday May 1, she fainted on the red carpet.

Like Naya Rivera, she is also working on a solo album. Music producer Adam Anders who produces Glee's music will also be producing hers.

She appeared on American Idol winner, Fantasia's new album, Side Effects of You.

She appeared in the 17th season of Dancing With the Stars, and was announced the winner alongside Derek Hough who is also Riker's cousin. She is the first African American woman to win Dancing With the Stars.

Her Dancing With the Stars partner Derek tried bribing his sister and former dance partner, Julianne, with ten dollars to give them a good score for their tango during week 4. Julianne overall gave them a 9.

She is the first Glee star to be on DWTS, the second being NeNe Leakes who played Coach Roz Washington.

She cowrote The Saturday's "Leave A Light On", which is on their album Living For the Weekend.

Her first single "Colorblind" debuted on April 8, as well as being sung in the episode Bash.

Her favourite Michael Jackson song is Human Nature which she sang on Glee with Chord Overstreet.

Quotes

“

As long as you are being true to yourself, you will always find happiness.

”

—Amber Riley

“

I have great friends around me that are positive and I think that's the key to life is making your own path. Set your own rules because there is no set rule, there is no set look, there is no set anything. You make your own rules in your life. You make your own decisions.

”

—Amber Riley

“

I love myself.

”

—Amber Riley

“

I want to encourage young women to stand up for each other and speak up when they see others in a tough situation.

”

—Amber Riley

“

Shine from the inside out, work on being a person. Don't put so much effort in the outside. Put SOME effort but not at all! Source